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Author Topic:   Engine Won't Crank

element posted 03-11-2008 08:25 AM ET (US)
[Seeks source for] a wiring diagram for a 1998 Suzuki 65 hp outboard.
When I turn the ignition nothing cranks. The choke works in the ignition switch and I have the keeper in for the kill switch. I also made sure I had the thing in neutral, but for some reason the engine won't crank at all. Gauges all work and I can tilt the engine using the throttle. Any ideas?
Thanks,
-Cory
jimh posted 03-11-2008 08:27 AM ET (US)
When there is a problem in a battery operated system, the first component to check is the battery.
element posted 03-11-2008 08:33 AM ET (US)
I think the battery is ok. Its brand new and fully charged. Im wiring my new console and must have not gotten one of the wires back together correctly. The wiring seems pretty straight forward, but I guess I goofed and missed something.
jimh posted 03-11-2008 11:39 AM ET (US)
Check the solenoid:
--presence of battery voltage at coil
--presence of battery voltage at contactor
Chuck Tribolet posted 03-11-2008 05:45 PM ET (US)
Battery voltage at the coil isn't relevant to it not cranking.
With ignition off:
- Measure voltage at the fat wire on the solenoid to bat. -
It should be the same as measured battery voltage. If
it isn't, there's a bad connection or break on that fat
wire. Go fix.
- Measure voltage at the skinny wire on the solenoid to bat
minus. Should be zero.
Now use a piece of heavy wire (12 ga solid) and leather gloves (it might
get warm) to jump from the fat wire to the skinny wire.
If there's a big spark and the engine turns over you have a
good solenoid and starter.

Now have a buddy crank the ignition while you measure voltages.
- If the skinny wire isn't somewhere above about 8V, you have
a problem in the wiring that supplies it, probably from
rewiring you console, probably at the switch. This is the
most likely case.
- If the skinny wire is above about 8V while cranking, you
have a bad solinoid, but that's unlikely because it passed
the jump test.
I'm guessing you got the wires on the ignition switch wrong.
Or maybe blew a fuse, but IIRC, at least on my Evinrude,
blowing that fuse will make other things not work.

Chuck
jimh posted 03-11-2008 08:38 PM ET (US)
Chuck--You must be kidding!
How do you expect the coil on the solenoid to operate if there is no battery voltage present?
Chuck Tribolet posted 03-11-2008 11:21 PM ET (US)
I thought you mean ignition coil.

Chuck
jimh posted 03-11-2008 11:32 PM ET (US)
Chuck--ROGER that. Another case of how hard it is to convey electrical advice in a narrative form.
I have a project in the works--have had it on my mind for a while--to make a detailed sketch of all the devices and connections which are in the circuit related to the engine cranking. There are several dozen connections, switches, fuses, and devices.
I had an intermittent start problem two years ago and it gave me fits tracking it down. There were so many possible points of failure in the starter circuit that it was hard to eliminate all of them by just checking with a voltmeter.
jimh posted 03-11-2008 11:33 PM ET (US)
Back to trouble-shooting the starter circuit:
--Check the neutral safety switch
element posted 03-12-2008 07:45 AM ET (US)
Thanks for the replies. Last night I did figure out what was the problem. When I took off the throttle there are two wire sets. One for the motor tilt and one for telling the system when its in neutral. That was the problem. I had the wire set that tells when its in neutral connected wrong. Once I corrected that it turned over. Now everything is connected and ready to be mounted into place in the console. Thanks again.
-Cory
jimh posted 03-12-2008 08:19 AM ET (US)
Glad to hear you resolved the problem. One of the best features of electricity is how it steadfastly follows the laws of Physics, although, on some occasions it certainly does not appear that way at first glance.

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Author	Topic: Engine Won't Crank
element	posted 03-11-2008 08:25 AM ET (US) [Seeks source for] a wiring diagram for a 1998 Suzuki 65 hp outboard. When I turn the ignition nothing cranks. The choke works in the ignition switch and I have the keeper in for the kill switch. I also made sure I had the thing in neutral, but for some reason the engine won't crank at all. Gauges all work and I can tilt the engine using the throttle. Any ideas? Thanks, -Cory
jimh	posted 03-11-2008 08:27 AM ET (US) When there is a problem in a battery operated system, the first component to check is the battery.
element	posted 03-11-2008 08:33 AM ET (US) I think the battery is ok. Its brand new and fully charged. Im wiring my new console and must have not gotten one of the wires back together correctly. The wiring seems pretty straight forward, but I guess I goofed and missed something.
jimh	posted 03-11-2008 11:39 AM ET (US) Check the solenoid: --presence of battery voltage at coil --presence of battery voltage at contactor
Chuck Tribolet	posted 03-11-2008 05:45 PM ET (US) Battery voltage at the coil isn't relevant to it not cranking. With ignition off: - Measure voltage at the fat wire on the solenoid to bat. - It should be the same as measured battery voltage. If it isn't, there's a bad connection or break on that fat wire. Go fix. - Measure voltage at the skinny wire on the solenoid to bat minus. Should be zero. Now use a piece of heavy wire (12 ga solid) and leather gloves (it might get warm) to jump from the fat wire to the skinny wire. If there's a big spark and the engine turns over you have a good solenoid and starter. Now have a buddy crank the ignition while you measure voltages. - If the skinny wire isn't somewhere above about 8V, you have a problem in the wiring that supplies it, probably from rewiring you console, probably at the switch. This is the most likely case. - If the skinny wire is above about 8V while cranking, you have a bad solinoid, but that's unlikely because it passed the jump test. I'm guessing you got the wires on the ignition switch wrong. Or maybe blew a fuse, but IIRC, at least on my Evinrude, blowing that fuse will make other things not work. Chuck
jimh	posted 03-11-2008 08:38 PM ET (US) Chuck--You must be kidding! How do you expect the coil on the solenoid to operate if there is no battery voltage present?
Chuck Tribolet	posted 03-11-2008 11:21 PM ET (US) I thought you mean ignition coil. Chuck
jimh	posted 03-11-2008 11:32 PM ET (US) Chuck--ROGER that. Another case of how hard it is to convey electrical advice in a narrative form. I have a project in the works--have had it on my mind for a while--to make a detailed sketch of all the devices and connections which are in the circuit related to the engine cranking. There are several dozen connections, switches, fuses, and devices. I had an intermittent start problem two years ago and it gave me fits tracking it down. There were so many possible points of failure in the starter circuit that it was hard to eliminate all of them by just checking with a voltmeter.
jimh	posted 03-11-2008 11:33 PM ET (US) Back to trouble-shooting the starter circuit: --Check the neutral safety switch
element	posted 03-12-2008 07:45 AM ET (US) Thanks for the replies. Last night I did figure out what was the problem. When I took off the throttle there are two wire sets. One for the motor tilt and one for telling the system when its in neutral. That was the problem. I had the wire set that tells when its in neutral connected wrong. Once I corrected that it turned over. Now everything is connected and ready to be mounted into place in the console. Thanks again. -Cory
jimh	posted 03-12-2008 08:19 AM ET (US) Glad to hear you resolved the problem. One of the best features of electricity is how it steadfastly follows the laws of Physics, although, on some occasions it certainly does not appear that way at first glance.